Stylish bloggers: Let’s Bloom Together

In an environment where there are many stylish bloggers, competition is now more fierce than ever. It can be extremely hard to find friends in this industry to work and create with because everyone is afraid of losing their place. What we fail to realize, however, is we are stronger together when we practice inclusion. Last week, a campaign from Revolve clothing sparked an uproar from digital influencers. Women of color, specifically, were appalled after seeing the lack of representation the campaign had. Unfortunately, Revolve clothing has been one of many campaigns that have completely dropped the ball when it comes to actually showcasing the influencers who have made them thousands, even millions of dollars within the last decade. Through us constantly calling these brands out, however, I honestly think brands will begin to get it right far more than they get things wrong.

How bloggers can take a stand in their stylish content

In addition to calling brands like Revolve out, though, I truly believe we have to band together as creators and make our own spaces for creatives. As women of color, plus size women, or anything else that steers away from “the norm” knows, society and major publications have never vouched for us. In an age where light skin and 3A hair is the standard for a natural hair influencer and only a big booty is the standard for plus size influencer, anything different is always overlooked. It was, for this reason, I began Here Comes the Chic almost four years ago and why I started this platform seven months ago. I wanted to celebrate myself and girls who look like me or that just feel like they don’t belong. I see so many amazing, talented people on Instagram alone and have seen so many creators that should’ve gotten their shine two or three years ago. Instead of waiting for brands to give us half of what we think we deserve, we have to come together and make those opportunities for ourselves. If missions like the #METOO movement and #BlackLivesMatter have taught us anything, it’s that we are better when we rally against the same cause together rather than separately.

So, in order to do my part to keep these conversations going, I have decided to begin reaching out to other influencers for collaborations. While Styled to Bloom is still growing, I have met some amazing creatives since moving to Columbus and have also found many influencers on social media who are making amazing strides with inclusivity. I have also only ever worked with photographers who are black women and will continue to do so. Life is incredibly too short for comparison, pettiness, or selfishness. There’s nothing wrong with elevating and working towards your goals, but in order for all of us to win as influencers, we have to stop trying o tear each other down to get there. No matter why you began blogging, vlogging, or posing for the ‘gram, remember that your God-given talents will get you there sooner than you think. In the meantime, find like-minded people to work with so you can cheer on each other from the top.

Also, if you would like to collab with me on a project, shoot me an email and we can navigate this world together as we bloom.